Predicting the future is a popular topic around the world. This is because no one really knows what to expect in life. While others rely on their instincts, hard work and perseverance, there are still a number of people who consider and highly believe in the efficacy of divination in their lives.
This is especially true in Chinese culture. The Chinese, like other cultures, use Chinese methods of divination to determine future events. Since historical times, the art of Chinese divination, known as “Suan Ming” in Chinese, was already being practiced to know one’s future.
As in many Western cultures where various divination methods are used to predict the future, Suan Ming also has numerous ways of guessing. In 1683, the official government manual published by the Board of Rites and later updated in 1741, contained thirty-six books entitled Hsieh Chi Pien Fang Shu. At present, Hsuan tzu is the best known divination manual that lists all the essential formulas, regulations and methods of divination in combination with the many techniques used in different parts of China.
Face reading is a popular Suan ming method. Also known as Physiognomy, the history of this process could go back to ancient times with the Chinese. Facial features such as the nose, eyes, and mouth are analyzed and interpreted in Face Reading. These facial features are believed to coincide with the five Sacred Mountains, the four Great Rivers, the five Planets, and the six Stars. The upper region of the face represents youth, the middle region of the face represents middle age, and the lower region of the face represents old age. The reader or physiognomist can calculate the relationships or oppositions of these traits to anticipate good and bad luck. Face Reading also predicts the probable length of life, marriage and fortune in motherhood.
Palm reading or palmistry in the West is another way to predict the future. It involves the analysis of the palm lines appropriate for love, personality, and other individual qualities.
“Kau Cim”, also a method in Chinese divination that consists of shaking a bamboo cylinder containing divination sticks. These sticks that resemble flat incense sticks are inscribed with Chinese numerals. The querent asks or whispers to the deity his question and then shakes the tube with the sticks. The first stick that falls will have a corresponding paper on which the answer to the questions is written. Interpretation of what is written in the newspaper is done by a temple priest or volunteers after offering incense, fruit, cakes, a roast pig or bird, or monetary donations.
“Zi wei dou shu”, also known as “Purple Star Astrology” or “Emperor / Purple Astrology (Star)”, is also among the forms of divination. The client is looking for an advisor with mastery and knowledge of the Chinese calendar. The combination of Astrology, Chinese Constellation, Four Pillars of Destiny and the Five elements is used in this divination method. Thus it results in the translation of a ‘destination path and a predetermined destination. This method can also check for unique events that have already occurred.